War bonnets (also called warbonnets or headdresses) are feathered headgear traditionally worn by male leaders of the American Plains Indians Nations who have earned a place of great respect in their tribe. Originally they were sometimes worn into battle, but they are now primarily used for ceremonial occasions. They are seen as items of great spiritual and political importance, only to be worn by those who have earned the right and honour through formal recognition by their people.[1][2]

Contents

Native American tribes consider the presentation of an eagle feather to be one of their highest marks of respect. Any honored person must have earned their feather through selfless acts of courage and honour, or been gifted them in gratitude for their work or service to their tribe. Traditional deeds that brought honour would include acts of valor in battle, but also political and diplomatic gains or acts that helped their community survive and prosper. The esteem attached to eagle feathers was so high that in many cases, such as a warrior (e.g. Dog Soldiers of the Cheyenne), only two or three honour feathers might be awarded in their whole lifetime. Historically, the warrior who was the first to touch an enemy in battle and escape unscathed received an eagle feather. When enough feathers were collected, they might be incorporated into a headdress or some other form of worn regalia. Headdresses were usually reserved exclusively for the tribe's chosen political and spiritual leaders.

Roman Nose, who was one of the most influential Cheyenne warriors of the Plain Indian Wars of the 1860s, was known for his illustrious warbonnet that was said to protect him during battle. Several instances record how while wearing his war bonnet, he rode back and forth before soldiers of the United States Army and, despite being fired upon, was left unscathed.[2]

While women have traditional regalia that can include other types of headdresses, historically women did not wear the Plains warbonnet. However, in recent years a few Indigenous women who have attained a very high level of respect in their communities have been ceremonially gifted with headdresses of the type that were formerly only worn by men.[3]

Due to their historical importance and status, many Native Americans now consider the wearing of headdresses without the express permission of tribal leaders to be an affront to their culture and traditions.[4][5] Consequently, in cases where non-Native political leaders have been symbolically allowed to wear the headdress, this has caused controversy.[3]

Plains-style bonnets are still almost always made out of eagle feathers because the eagle is considered by most tribes of the Interior Plains to be the greatest and most powerful of all birds. Under current federal legislation, the Eagle feather law enables Native Americans to continue using eagle feathers in their traditional spiritual and cultural practices. The exemption is contained within the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In the United States, only enrolled members of a federally recognized Native American tribe may legally collect or possess eagle feathers.

One traditional method of acquiring feathers for bonnets is for young eagles to have their maturest tail feathers plucked while still in the nest. This can be done three times before the feathers do not grow back. As many as thirty six feathers can be collected in this manner. If care is taken in not disturbing the nest, this method can be repeated yearly.[6]

Plains Indians normally use eagle feathers as the most significant part of the bonnet to represent honor and respect. Some Plains-style bonnet forms are the "horned" bonnet, "flaring" eagle feather bonnet, and the "fluttering feather" bonnet. The "horned" bonnet can consist of a buckskin skull cap, shaved bison or cow horns, and dyed horsehair with bunches of owl feathers beneath the skull cap. The "flaring" eagle feather bonnet is often made of golden eagle tail feathers connected to a buckskin or felt crown. There are slits at the base of the crown that allow the bonnet to have a "flaring" look. An unusual form of bonnet that is no longer used would be the "fluttering feather" bonnet. This can have golden eagle, hawk, and owl feathers loosely attached to a felt or buckskin cap to make it hang at the sides.[7]

The wearing and displaying of such headdresses, and other "indigenous traditional arts and sacred objects" by those who have not earned them, especially by non-Natives as fashion or costume, is considered offensive by traditional Native peoples.[4][5][8] The controversy is part of a wider effort by Native American activists to highlight the ongoing cultural genocide against indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada.[9] The trend of musicians and festival-goers wearing warbonnets has led to criticism by Native Americans, apologies by non-Natives, and the banning of headdresses as costumes by several music festivals.[5][8][10][11]

^ ab"ReMatriate was started earlier this year by women from the Yukon and northern B.C. in response to offensive runway fashion shows and “festival wear” appropriated from indigenous traditional arts and sacred objects and sold as commodities without permission." See "Northern-sparked 'ReMatriate' campaign takes on cultural appropriation". Northern Journal. May 4, 2015. Retrieved 2016-10-08.

Arapaho

The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Lakota and Dakota. The Arapaho language, Hinónoʼeitíít, is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre (Ahe/A'ananin), whose people are considered to have separated from the Arapaho at an early time. The Blackfeet and Cheyenne also speak Algonquian languages, but theirs are quite different from Arapaho.

Fez

The fez is a felt headdress in the shape of a short cylindrical peakless hat, usually red, and sometimes with a tassel attached to the top. It is named after the city of its origins, the Moroccan city Fez, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco until 1927. The modern fez owes much of its popularity to the Ottoman era.

Glengarry

The glengarry bonnet is a traditional Scots cap made of thick-milled woollen material, decorated with a toorie on top, frequently a rosette cockade on the left side, and with ribbons hanging down behind. It is normally worn as part of Scottish military or civilian Highland dress, either formal or informal, as an alternative to the Balmoral bonnet or tam o' shanter. The Royal Regiment of Scotland wears the glengarry with diced band and black cock feathers as its ceremonial headdress.

Cultural appropriation

Cultural appropriation, at times also phrased cultural misappropriation, is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures. Because of the presence of power imbalances that are a byproduct of colonialism and oppression, cultural appropriation is distinct from equal cultural exchange.

Hook Nose

This is the article on the Northern Suhtai, Northern Cheyenne warrior who died at the Battle of Beecher Island 1868

Caubeen

The caubeen is an Irish beret, formerly worn by peasants. It has been adopted as the head dress of Irish regiments of Commonwealth armies.

Jewellery in the Pacific

Jewellery making in the Pacific started later than in other areas, due to relatively recent human settlement. Early Polynesian jewellery, which was made of bone, wood and other natural materials, has not survived. The precise start of island jewellery-making is difficult to pinpoint, due to many of the island nations' founders migrating there from other areas, such as Tahiti.

Hair drop

A hair drop is an ornament worn by men from Great Lakes and Plains tribes. It would be tied to the man's hair. The typical example consists of a quilled or beaded section on a strip of leather, which was later attached to an American buffalo tail. They could be over two feet long.

Balmoral bonnet

The Balmoral is a traditional Scottish hat that can be worn as part of formal or informal Highland dress. Developed from the earlier blue bonnet, dating to at least the 16th century, it takes the form of a knitted, soft wool cap with a flat crown. It is named after Balmoral Castle, a royal residence in Scotland. It is an alternative to the similar and related (informal) Tam o' Shanter cap and the Glengarry bonnet.

Wreath (attire)

A wreath worn for purpose of attire, , is a headdress made of leaves, grasses, flowers or branches. It is typically worn in festive occasions and on holy days and has a long history and association with ancient pageants and ceremonies. Outside of occasional use, the wreath can also be used as a crown, or a mark of honour. The wreath most often has an annular geometric construction.

Plains hide painting

Plains hide painting is a traditional Plains Indian artistic practice of painting on either tanned or raw animal hides. Tipis, tipi liners, shields, parfleches, robes, clothing, drums, and winter counts could all be painted.

Pagri (turban)

Pagri, Pagadi is the term for turban originating in the Indian subcontinent. It specifically refers to a headdress that is worn by men and women, which needs to be manually tied. Other names include Sapho and Fagri.

Headgear

Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.

Roach (headdress)

Porcupine hair roaches are a traditional male headdress of a number of Native American tribes in what is now New England, the Great Lakes and Missouri River regions, including the Potawatomi who lived where Chicago now stands. They were and still are most often worn by dancers at pow wows as regalia.

Sha-có-pay

Sha-có-pay, whose name in the Dakota language means "The Six", was painted from life by George Catlin. Catlin traveled throughout Western North America and painted Indians at a time when the only contact with Whites was from explorers and traders. The painting shows traditional Plains Ojibwe clothing such as a beaded buckskin shirt, a buffalo-hide robe, eagle feathers, hair pipes, and a beaded necklace that is unique to the tribes of the northernmost plains. The portrait was painted by the artist during a trip to Fort Union in 1832.

Native American fashion

Native American fashion encompasses the design and creation of high-fashion clothing and fashion accessories by the Native peoples of the Americas. Indigenous designers frequently incorporate motifs and customary materials into their wearable artworks, providing a basis for creating items for the haute couture and international fashion markets. Their designs may result from techniques such as beadwork, quillwork, leather, and textile arts, such as weaving, twining, and tufting. In some cases, however, they choose not to include any materials associated with indigenous cultures.